ISTANBUL

A third round of renewed Russia-Ukraine peace talks facilitated by Türkiye is set to begin in Istanbul on Wednesday evening.

🇷🇺|🇺🇦|🇹🇷 Türkiye once again takes center stage in high-stakes diplomacy as it hosts the 3rd round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul

🤝 Previous rounds led to major prisoner swaps and exchange of memoranda outlining respective visions for a potential peace… pic.twitter.com/GxwVIu2vpM

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) July 23, 2025

The trilateral meeting involving delegations from Türkiye, Russia, and Ukraine is scheduled to commence at around 7 p.m. local time (1600GMT) at the Ciragan Palace, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

The meeting will be chaired by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and is expected to bring together senior officials from all three countries.

Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization chief Ibrahim Kalin and Chief of the Turkish General Staff Gen. Metin Gurak are also expected to attend.

The upcoming meeting marks the latest in renewed negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv in the Turkish metropolis.

The first two rounds were held on May 16 and June 2, in the talks, which also took place at the Ciragan Palace, both sides agreed to exchange additional prisoners of war -- prioritizing the youngest and most severely wounded -- and to return the bodies of 6,000 soldiers from each side.

Moscow and Kyiv also exchanged memoranda outlining their vision to bring an end to the conflict that has continued since February 2022.

Russia's delegation will be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, while Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, will head Kyiv's delegation.